Category Archives: Theatre & Stage

We were approached by representatives of The Point, Eastleigh as they were looking to install a new wheelchair lift. The Point, Eastleigh is a local theatre that plays host to a large variety of performances and is run by Eastleigh Borough Council. The Point is situated adjacent to Eastleigh Borough Council offices in the town centre and is a hub for local residents. The theatre accommodates a wide range of events spanning from contemporary theatrical productions to dances classes for all ages to community shows. As a vital hub for the local community the client needed to replace their current wheelchair lift quickly. The Point's current wheelchair lift was over 15 years old and wasn't fit for purpose. However the old lift provided a vital disabled access route for both staff and visitors alike and so we surveyed the site and submitted drawings for a new lift to the client.

We designed and fitted a brand new wheelchair lift to travel up the 3.5 metres difference between ground floor to first floor. The total travel of the lift is over 7 metres which included two 90º corners and one 180º corner from the ground floor. The width of the staircase varied therefore a smaller platform measuring 750mm x 900mm was fitted. The wheelchair lift has a rated load of 225kg therefore can easily move even the heaviest of mobility scooters. The lift was installed within 2 days.

For more information about lifts for theatre and stage call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

We were approached by the architect, De Matos Ryan, to design 2 lifts with very different applications during the refurbishment of York Theatre Royal. The first lift was to transport customers over 4 floors of the theatre whilst the second lift was to provide access to differing floor levels on the ground floor.

The challenge of the larger of the two lifts was that it had to sit within a stone stairwell as to not to compromise the theatre's Grade II listing. This meant that we had limited space to work with as well as trying to match the aesthetics of the theatre. The lift had to travel over 4m with 4 sets of automatic doors on 3 different sides because the upper levels of the theatre had split floor levels. The lift allows all visitors to access every part of the theatre and see the many performances put on. We fitted and installed an EP Elfo with platform dimensions of 1100mm x 1400mm in its own steel and glass structure with the lift car finished in framed glass on 3 sides with the remaining side mirrored.

The theatre needed to provide access for all visitors to the restaurant as the ground floor had a split floor level - the difference was only 980mm so the theatre wouldn't need another passenger lift. We fitted an EasyLift by Liftup, a platform lift that is easy to operate and is really user friendly. The lift was finished in glass with a black steel structure so it would blend in with the style of the newly refurbished theatre.

For more information about lifts like the ones above call us on 0800 65 252 65 or email us

We were approached by the National Theatre as they were undergoing a refurbishment to a large part of the theatre. They needed to provide disabled access to throughout the building, unfortunately they couldn't make space for a conventional passenger lift due to the building's Grade II listing. The National Theatre is situated on the Southbank of the Thames and holds a host of productions from Shakespeare to more contemporary plays.

Working with Lendlease, the construction management business, we designed and fitted an EP Elfo with automatic doors on adjacent sides. The lift travelled a distance of 12 metres across four floors, with entry points on two of the four sides of the lift shaft. The client had strict criteria that the lift had to meet due to the building's Grade II listing. The ceiling of lift had to be anodised bronze to match the theatre's ceiling that had originally been installed in 1976. In order to match this requirement we used the same anodising company that had originally constructed the theatre's ceiling. We also replicated the handrail from the landings inside the lift car and used the same materials to create a handrail that is identical to those in the theatre. We completed the lift with the same flooring as the rest of the theatre, with the original carpet from 1971 being used in the lift car. The rest of the lift was finished in stainless steel to contrast the wooden panelling and one of the interior sides was fitted with a complete floor to ceiling mirror. Even with the high specification of the lift, it was fitted within 4 weeks.